Well, I've broken down numerous times during my beer-free Lent season ()...but I've tasted some great beer!

Stone Oak Smoked Old Guardian is an interesting beer. I really like the Oaked Arrogant B, so I had to try this one. Last month I had a bad experience with the Barrel-aged SN Bigfoot-too much of a whiskey taste and loss of hoppiness. The Stone oak smoked barleywine was better but certainly not a beer to drink in large volumes. There's almost a bacon-like background but it's a very smooth beer.

Napa Smith Hopageddon. Had to try it at 144 IBU (highest I've sampled). Not nearly as bitter as I expected. It sort of had that old/musty IPA thing going on, when the beer seems malt-forward/dried fruit and sweet vs hop-forward and bitter/citrus. I prefer the latter, so it was only okay for me.

Also had a 22 of Boulder Mojo at my local watering hole on Saturday. A nice IPA I haven't had for a long while and haven't had on tap in years. Good stuff.

I'm patiently awaiting the return of Lagunitas Imperial Red later this month.

From the sun-drenched fields of California’s North Valley comes our Estate Ale. It’s rich with the flavors of the valley—hops with earthy, grapefruit-like flavors and layered spicy aromas, and barley with mild sweetness and smooth, toasted flavors. Enjoy this remarkable homegrown ale, made with organic wet hops and barley grown at our brewery in Chico, and one of the few estate-made ales produced anywhere in the world. Together, these crops grow alongside the brewery to make a truly unique brew.

Wet Hop versus Fresh Hop

Over recent years, there has been some confusion about the difference between fresh and wet hops. While it may seem like semantics, to us it’s an important distinction.

Wet Hops are un-dried hops, picked and shipped from the growing fields within 24 hours.

Fresh Hops are the freshest dried hops to come from the fields, typically within seven days of harvest.
Over 90% of the world’s hop harvest happens between August 31 and October 31, and these hops are used throughout the calendar year. Can hops possibly be the same on November 1, one day after harvest, as they are on July 25, nearly one year after growing in the fields? The answer is no. We think of hops like dry kitchen spices—the flavor of thyme or rosemary right after the jar is opened is far more intense than it is six months later. The same can be said for hops. There are ways to control the way hops age and to reformulate and readjust as some of the aromas fade, but there’s nothing like the magic of the first bales of hops as fresh as can be. That is the stuff dreams are made of!

Cascade Hops

Every so often, invention provokes revolution. Never was that truer than with the birth of the Cascade hop. Worldwide, it was thought that European hops were—and had always been—superior to their New World counterparts. That changed in the late 1960s with the development of the Cascade. Born as the first successful example of the USDA Aroma Hop Program, Cascade proved that world-class hops can be grown in America. Its release in 1971 serendipitously aligned with the fledgling American craft brewing movement. These aspiring brewers were eager for something unique, bold and distinctly American to use in their boundary-pushing beers. Cascade fit the bill. Its unique pine needle, grapefruit and floral aromas were like nothing out of Europe, and the bold aromas and flavors became the flag for the new American brewing upstarts. If one ingredient can be said to start a movement, it would be the Cascade hop—the plant that built craft beer.

The American Style

Worldwide, Americans have something of an outsized reputation. Bold, brash and brazen. To some, that boldness is perceived as arrogance, but for us it’s just daring spirit and a thirst for adventure. The term “American” in brewing is not necessarily a sign of origin, but rather a brewing ethos and homage to that daring nature we love so much. In the early days of the craft brewing movement, there were far fewer beer styles and what was on record largely comprised the historical ales of the UK and the lagers of Germany. As American brewers began experimenting with homegrown ingredients and their own techniques, they inadvertently created beer so unique it defied conventional categories. Instead of a traditional pale ale, there all of a sudden was American pale ale—a new, rowdy hybrid of the older beer, intense with hop flavor and aroma. American-style beer is shorthand for the kind of brewing we do at Sierra Nevada—a reference to the use of a clean, crisp and neutral yeast and a healthy dose of hops quite appropriate for the adventurer in us all.

Recently picked up Boulevard's 80 Acre Hoppy Wheat and Unfiltered Wheat. While the Unfiltered Wheat was pleasant, the 80 Acre was outstanding. Not overwhelming, nicely balanced. People expecting a hugely hopped beer will be let down, but for me - it hits the mark.

How is that GE coming along? You at a point yet when you can use the flexbar?

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coming along. using hand weights to strengthen. don't have a flexbar. tempted to hit some balls against the wall next week but won't do the pickup game again against a young big hitter. that set recovery back a little.

coming along. using hand weights to strengthen. don't have a flexbar. tempted to hit some balls against the wall next week but won't do the pickup game again against a young big hitter. that set recovery back a little.

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The flexbar is a big help. It is worth skipping a few IPAs to have one.

I have mine in the car. It keeps me entertained at stoplights. If I can find out where my blue one ran off to, I could loan you that one. That one is better for when I had GE. I like the smaller green one with my TE.

I have mine in the car. It keeps me entertained at stoplights. If I can find out where my blue one ran off to, I could loan you that one. That one is better for when I had GE. I like the smaller green one with my TE.

I have mine in the car. It keeps me entertained at stoplights. If I can find out where my blue one ran off to, I could loan you that one. That one is better for when I had GE. I like the smaller green one with my TE.

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Green flexbar is good for a chuckle whenever I whip it out of my tennis bag before playing mxd dubs.

Hello fellow beer lovers. Long time beer drinker, but new to IPAs. I picked up Dogfish head 75 min. IPA today. Anybody try it?

Looking forward to trying it out this weekend.

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I had one a couple of days ago. Very enjoyable. Interesting with the maple although I'm not sure I would have noticed that flavor if the bottle didn't tell me so, but it did add a nice sweetness. Expensive but yummy.

I personally don't like Fat Tire at all. They seem like a good company and I'll drink Ranger IPA in a pinch but I just don't like Fat Tire's flavor. It seems to be very popular but I'm just not a fan. So many other good beers at that price level that I prefer.

I've been knocking back a lot of Port Wipeout IPA and Lagu Sucks lately. I recently tried 21st Am's barleywine (can't remember the name) that comes in a Red Bull-style 8 oz can. I know it's a stronger beer but come one 21st, we can handle more than 8oz. Okay but not up to SN Bigfoot's level.

I personally don't like Fat Tire at all. They seem like a good company and I'll drink Ranger IPA in a pinch but I just don't like Fat Tire's flavor. It seems to be very popular but I'm just not a fan. So many other good beers at that price level that I prefer.

I've been knocking back a lot of Port Wipeout IPA and Lagu Sucks lately. I recently tried 21st Am's barleywine (can't remember the name) that comes in a Red Bull-style 8 oz can. I know it's a stronger beer but come one 21st, we can handle more than 8oz. Okay but not up to SN Bigfoot's level.

Ya know its funny, i like almost all beer, but not Fat Tire. Its got a skunky lingering taste and after taste that just doesn't sit right with me. I can also handle Ranger but much prefer most other IPA's and Select Ales.

I had one a couple of days ago. Very enjoyable. Interesting with the maple although I'm not sure I would have noticed that flavor if the bottle didn't tell me so, but it did add a nice sweetness. Expensive but yummy.

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I really enjoyed the one I bought. To me, it was just a perfectly balanced IPA. It did have a slight sweetness, which I like, but I couldn't describe it as maple either.

Price is a little steep, but I'd buy it more than 60 or 90 if sold in six packs and priced accordingly. Doubt that will happen, though.